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Tuesday, 11 March 2014

About That Holiday....

When I sat down at my desk this evening and began to make preparations for tonight's post (originally it was supposed to entail tour style possibilities) I happened to scroll past our last post - 'The Cambridges Holiday in the Maldives' and was incredibly surprised to see there are almost 400 comments, undoubtedly the largest number of comments left on a singular topic since I began blogging almost three years ago. With that in mind it seemed somewhat improper not to address the topic, comments and the multitude of emails and messages via social media I've received in recent days.

When news broke on Thursday that William and Kate had arrived in the Maldives for a week-long holiday, where they rented out the five-star Cheval Blanc Randheli resort on the Noonu Atoll, on the northwest of the Maldives. I instantly knew there would be criticism - not only from those who don't particularly favour the couple at any point - but also from royal fans who have ardently supported William and Kate since their courtship. The Duchess had already spent a week in Mustqiue with the Middletons and Prince George whilst Prince William enjoyed a hunting weekend in Spain.

Trip Advisor

The general consensus was this holiday was a bad move in terms of PR given the lack of engagements since December. Had Kate made a couple of official outings early last week and the week before that, I think the reaction would have been quite different. Those who have rooted for the couple, while respecting their position as second-in-line and not yet having to undertake a significant workload, had hoped to see them using their profiles to make a difference. A point mirrored in many of the comments left by readers was that they didn't wish to bash the couple exactly, but to see them doing more. There was most definitely an air of disappointment and disillusionment.

Further controversy ensued when it was revealed the Cambridges had elected not to take Prince George with them. George's new nanny was photographed walking him in Hyde Park, close to Kensington Palace prompting conflicting reports on who is looking after him. The photos were taken before William and Kate left, George is in fact with the Middleton family in Bucklebury. The new nanny is believed to be Spanish, in her late thirties, has looked after high-society families for almost two decades, and is "married to the job". She will accompany the Cambridges during their tour of New Zealand and Australia next month. Photos are available at the Daily Star.

Royal Reporter Emily Andrews Twitter Feed

The Sunday People and The Mirror suggested the holiday, which has been dubbed as a "second honeymoon" may have been a means of introducing George to his new nanny:

'Kate and William thought it a great plan to let their new employee get to know George's routine and habits while they weren't there. She will be the woman who will be caring for George while Kate and William are doing their royal duties so she needs to get to know him.

They thought it best to be out of the way and leave Carole to oversee the process. It also meant they could have a bit of time together after what has been a very tiring year for both of them.'

In addition, it is believed Prince William's former nanny, Jessie Webb, who has been looking after little George on a part-time basis is working with the nanny to help her settle in.

Comments circulated around the Internet describing the couple as "selfish" and "bad parents" with commenters outraged by the idea the royal couple left their eight-month-old at home. And this is where I began to think it had gone a little too far. Bear with me while I attempt to reiterate my thoughts in a measured and fair manner. For full disclosure, I am British, I am a royalist but I do not believe the royals are beyond reproach. Of course, in these austere times of recession they should be visible and working hard to support and promote charitable organisations who are struggling.

There are enormous perks to being a member of the British Royal Family. Enormous downfalls too, as evidenced this week. Are William and Kate bad parents for leaving George for a week? Of course not. Many, many couples take time away from their babies whether it's a vacation or for work purposes but because the Cambridges are public figures, their every move and decision is scrutinized - something they will have to deal with for the rest of their lives.

Their getaway may be a luxurious one, but unlike the rest of us, they cannot enjoy the privacy of time alone. I have it on good authority paparazzi are staking out the area hoping to snap a photo of Kate in her bikini, or she and William holding hands on the beach. Again, something they will have to worry about during each and every vacation they take. Who could forget the photos which emerged from their last pre-tour break in France? I shall never forget the visible strain on William and Kate's faces in Malaysia when news broke the topless photos had been published.

The royals are completely and utterly different to us in almost every way. One of the greatest disservices the press has done the Cambridges is promote the "they're just like us" image. They never said it, their press office never said it, but it has followed them since their marriage began and has led to the point where people were truly surprised to hear George had a nanny. This was always going to happen, as it has for every previous royal baby. Their lives are vastly different from any of ours with many pros - and many cons. One of the occasions I recall most is the day George was born. William and Kate elected not to tell the press for a few hours so they could share those first precious hours with their son before having to share him with the rest of the world.

Their role encompasses much more than public engagements. There are a whole host of duties, meetings, correspondence, planning and behind-the-scenes work, the majority of which we never hear about. For example, last Tuesday, William, Kate and Harry, accompanied by George, hosted a pre-tour reception for selected members of the press. The tour itself will require a huge amount of planning and research.

Having said that, it is time the Duke and Duchess take on a more fixed, visible role within the family. It took Diana years to find her feet but when she did she was quite a force, as many of you know. It's important to note we cannot be certain senior members of the Royal Family are not guiding them on this path, and in fact, I believe they might very well be, which is to be expected, given past mistakes.

After the tour, we should see an increase in engagements, and it seems Kate is planning to take on duties involving intervention for young people facing crisis, an area the Duchess could excel at supporting. There's undoubtedly been mistakes. William's gap year, this holiday, clustered engagements followed by long gaps. It goes without saying there will continue to be mistakes before they find their footing.

Above all, we should not forget all the good work William and Kate have done since the royal wedding. Time and time again, charity directors and onlookers mention how dedicated, informed and genuinely interested Kate is in their organisations and the people she meets. This is not said sporadically, but every single time the Duchess attends an engagement.

To those who have supported William and Kate thus far, I say, don't give up on them yet. In terms of PR disasters this was a big one and there's work to be done moving forward. People need to see the couple dedicating themselves and forging identities within the Royal Family. I do believe they'll pleasantly surprise us yet - and sooner rather than later.

This is just my humble opinion and I continuously look forward to hearing yours.

375 comments:

well said!I think, well maybe I wouldve been less harsh towards Kate if Id felt she had worked hard most of her lifelets face it..she had part time jobs up until she married william and people have questioned her work ethic...and this vacation didnt helpas for leaving george..that isnt a problem for me..its the fact they went on vacation when 2014 so far has been a vacation for meI am just so frustrated because there is so much could they could do! so many charties they can champion!William has irked me for years...i hate when he complains about the press i really do. if you honestly hate this life then give it up. seriously. and your mother also didnt help herself by calling them to KP and giving them interviews and such the press were egged on by his motheri just wonder what will happen when william becomes pow and then king...how will kate deal witht he workload? because she hasnt really given any indication in the first 32 years of her life that she can work hard

I agree with most of your points, Sarah. Kate has always bee privileged. However, a couple engagements each month might not seem like much "work" to us, but we have no concept or understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. It must be very difficult to be one of the most famous couples on the planet and not to have the freedom and privacy we all enjoy. I would assume that would be constant work. Also, the couple does other "work" things on top of public appearances.

Leaving George isn't a problem for me either. New parents do that much earlier than 7 or 8 months all the time. I think it's good George is getting used to his new nanny alone for a week. What bothered me was the public relations behind the vacation - I totally agree with Charlotte that had Kate done 2-4 engagements since Christmas, this vacation would not have come under fire. The fact that they were just in Spain and Mustique raises suspicions for sure - the public is wondering... what do they need another vacation for?

I am wondering too, but the bottom line is this - it's none of our business and we cannot possible hope to understand they choices. Maybe it's their dating anniversary or some special occasion the public is unaware of. Maybe one of them is having some personal issues, or God forbid marital issues, and they needed to get away. There are hundreds of possibilities, all of them speculation.

William's issues with the press are understandable, in my opinion. From Diana to the topless photos of Kate, he has no reason to respect or like them. They are indeed relentless, and intrusive, but that's only to feed our appetite. We want to know as much as possible about the Royals, and the press attempt to give us that information in whatever way - albeit perhaps unethical - they can.

I think it's naive to say "if you honestly hate this life then give it up" because he can't. It would just never happen. He was born into this, remember - he didn't choose it. So I think they are coping pretty well given everything they deal with. It would be hard for any of us.

Anyway, I agree their version of "working hard" and ours, as laypeople, is different. But we cannot assume to know everything about their private lives, or try to understand their choices.

Privilege aside, I would never want to be in their shoes. I am American and am sick to death of hearing all the nasty things said about the Royals, particularly about what parasites they are and how much they cost the taxpayer. What about the benefit of having them and the revenue that is generated by royal events? If they are photographed doing anything (even eating out somewhere) people are complaining that their tax dollars are paying for it. The Windsors are an extremely wealthy family and if they wish to go on a private holiday, with or without their children, so what? That being said, I do think Kate should have had the brains not to remove her top out of doors. Did we not learn anything from the Fergie debacle? I like the Cambridges. They are young and they have 50+ years of royal duties ahead of them. Let them enjoy this part of their lives.

Greetings from the US.. I wholeheartedly agree with your astute opinion of your future King and Queen's activities. Royalty aside, they are from very privileged families with the means to take any holiday they wish, with or without darling George. The Duke and Duchess certainly do not owe any explanation to any of us. Love, love your fantastic blog! Thank you.

I completely agree with you. I am the same age as Princess Diana would be today. I do remember the complete lack of support she received from either Charles or the Queen. Who can forget the complete outrage people had that the Queen had made no comment about Diana's death and she was forced to go to the public memorial. They live a very privileged life and yes privacy is sacrificed - but this is the work they do. The Firm. Your view is completely balanced. William is in his position by an accident of birth. I am not British but am sure that the monarchy is such a huge part of English history and is still trying to find a place in the modern world and is doing much better than it used too. I think both William and Harry have turned out to be exceptional young men and have for the most part been able to do what they want. Kate has also done extremely well. I am sure this tour will be arduous but agree the timing of a romantic holiday might have been better suited after such a long tour. Leaving George behind is not the issue. All new parents can relate to having alone time and how important it is to keep attention on the marital relationship. I don't think it is fair to say Kate hasn't worked hard. We don't know everything she has done and that is as it should be. Her family success is what we all hope for. Her parents had regular jobs and found success through their company and gave their children a better education. She also endured many years of harassment from the press as William's girlfriend. She has some battle scars I am sure. I agree and hope she continues to do more good work and using her position to help many charities - which I think is the role of the modern monarchy. Thanks so much for creating this blog and and I enjoy it immensely.

Way back in the day during one of the Middle East conflicts, there was a US diplomat named Philip Habib (I think that was his name), who was trying to mediate a cease to hostilities. He was known as practicing shuttle diplomacy as he was back and forth on planes so much. Ever since then, when I meet or see people trying to mediate, they are (in this case) Charlotte Habib, Shuttle Diplomat!

Fantastic post, Charlotte. You summed it up beautifully! Every bit of it.

It's so easy for people to see and concentrate on the perks, rather than the negative aspects of royal life. And I also agree that some of the PR put out on their behalf hasn't done them any favors. It's even more unfortunate when people take it too literally (maternity leave...hands-on parents...no nanny, for example) and crucify them for it with never ending criticism and speculation.

Thank you for a very balanced REALITY CHECK. You deserve a medal from BP for this one. :)

I think this was all very well said! I agree 100% with you on everything, especially about how the Cambridges have always been branded as "just like us." They are not like us because they are royal, end of story. It's neither good nor bad, it just is. I hope they are able to strike a balance between their royal duties and their private life, and come back shiny as brightly as ever. Bad moves have been made, but I think they will bounce back and prove their fierce dedication and pride in the causes they both hold dear.

I've never commented on here before, but I'm an avid reader. I've always thought very well of this couple, and I tried really hard not to let this particularly mistake affect my perception of them, but I have to admit that it made me wonder if my admiration was perhaps [at least partially] misplaced. I didn't stick with that opinion, but I am relieved to read your piece here and have things put into context and perspective. It helped immensely in setting things straight in my own head. :-)

I think that after 2007, when Kate and William got back together, they have a master plan. Everything with them seems to fall into place as though it has been planned, discussed and then executed. Kate vacations with her family EVERY year, it is now part of the routine. What is wrong with going away together as a couple for a week? If they take two vacations a year, that is pretty reasonable. I also think that William and Kate have planned to take things very slow and make sure that their private lives remain private.

I confess I have not read all the comments, but after reading the blog I just want to say I do not see what all the fuss is about - really! Here in Canada most working Mothers take a maternity leave for a year, or close to it, after their babies are born. Having a new Grandaughter refreshes my memory about just how much effort it takes to pull everything and yourself together to go out. I can only imagine the stress of going out including all those cameras, etc. I think this couple is doing brilliantly coping with the public and the myriad of expectations. A weeks vacation in the sun - what's to complain about! Surely we can't expect them to go to a Sandals Resort with George in tow!

Different than us as they may be, and entitled to a vacation (this time: like everyone else), there continues to be the question of timing: after many months of hard work - everyone would agree a break is not just well deserved, but needed. But after so few visible efforts (planning of the tour not withstanding - as it was mostly done by their staff anyway), and given what Britain's gone through - I believe it is a very fair point to make on their (at least apparent) lack of awareness of their countries' trials and tribulations. A couple of hours from William and Harry, and with lots of fanfare to ensure journalists are all there to make us all aware, is very (very!!) little from two young man who want to be seen as true leaders of their country. As for Kate, she could have also made some efforts (how about meeting with the mothers affected by the floods??) to show she truly cares.

I am a huge fan of the Queen - and her unabiding sense of duty for her country. I think the young ones have a long, long way to go to get anywhere close... To be honest, I find them surprisingly superficial. Let's hope they'll grow into it...

The Daily Mail has a travel blog, and the guy writing it said they should have gone to Cornwall to show the rest of the country that the West Country is still open. Not quite as warm; although I know Britain has had lovely weather the last few days. And thank you for sending it here! We had a lovely day yesterday and it looks like today will be nice too.

Very well thought out and well written post! I think that multiple vacations are a privilege that come with wealth...heaven knows I'd be in London or somewhere super warm if I had the resources to do so, and so what if they left Georgie with the Nanny or his Nana Middleton...that's what grandparents and nannies are for.

I agree that they probably should have had a few more public duties for Catherine so far this year, but I am not in her office and I can't make her do anything...

I also agree that we are likely to see a lot more out of her after the 2014 tour and I have it on good authority that there will be some huge opportunities for Catherine to use her influence for her various causes later in the year...she'll make us proud I just know it

3) Kate dedicated herself to her man. Yes, I've said it. She dedicated herself to her man. Women have done this for tens of thousands of years. It is not as abominable as some would lead us to believe. One does not have to be a career woman in order to make a difference. She made herself available so that whenever his busy schedule allowed, she would be there for him, as support, counsel, sounding board, etc. etc. I wish my Mother did that for my Dad. Being a military officer - a stressful job - he really needed that. But she did not want to give of herself. Kate is giving of herself, to her husband (and was when he was just a boyfriend). It is a traditional woman's role, which is neither shameful nor lazy. Look at the old photos from when they were dating: she frequently looked tired at his polo matches - but she was there to cheer him on, for example. This kind of support means a lot.

Next, let's talk about what she spends time on. 1) We already figured out that she spends time shopping. Yes, we may find that is not a real job. Perhaps she could hire a dresser, whatever. But think about it. She hires a dresser - and is instantly criticized for spending taxpayer's money. She does not hire a dresser and is criticized for shopping too much. The woman cannot win. Shopping takes time. For me, it is the most hateful and time-consuming thing to undertake in the course of a day. And yet it has to be done. Impeccably, in her case.

2) She has to spend time caring for her skin. Spas are not a luxury for her, but a necessity. Who can wear off-the-shoulder dresses with pimples on the back? She cannot afford to not look flawless, so she has to take a spa. Regularly. You and I do not have to, but she must! Princess Anne clearly could not care less - and she wears her Mary Poppins outfits, and nobody calls her a style icon. Yes, Kate could do that too. But I bet people would rebel that their princess is not looking princessy enough.

3) Let's talk about her figure. It takes A Great Deal Of Time to keep a figure like that. I bet she spends at least 1-2 hours every single day exercising like none of us have ever done. Again, a necessity for her, unlike us.

4) She prepares for her charity meetings. A patron does not just "show up" for an official engagement. She must also correspond with potential donors, be in organizational phone calls and meetings. She has to do research before she goes anywhere in order to make the most out of people's time there. When I go to a business meeting, not only do I research the subject of conversation, but also the background of every person I will be meeting, to understand what their own agenda may be, and so better to articulate my own agenda to them. If she is at all conscientious, and the charities claim she is, she must do the same thing, every single time! We never hear about these phone calls/conferences/meetings/readings/preparations. Because, frankly, what sells in the media, is what she wore, or something outrageous - like a streak of grey hair. Whatever. You know, people compare number of Kate's engagements with Diana's. They say, Diana undertook one-to-two orders of magnitude more engagements compared to Kate. Yes, that is correct. Which is why she had little time to prepare for them, and indeed she only started to really work toward each engagement after years in royal service. In the more impartial books about Diana, it comes through clearly that she was taking her role rather lightly for the first few years. Once she understood what she had to do, she went totally overboard (from pain, I know). Totally overboard, sometimes undertaking an inhuman number of engagements in a single day, coming back exhausted, drained, and in need to rescuing and being taken care of (i.e, Hewitt). In contrast, Kate is steadfast. She knows what she can and cannot do. When she is back home from an engagement, she still has energy to look after her son, household and husband. She probably has more meaningful conversations at the engagement itself, and has more to give as compared to if she were drained.

I realize, the picture I am painting is highly idealized - and maybe Kate is really lazy and is not doing any of these things. But, it is equally plausible that we simply do not know what is happening in her life. What she is struggling with. For example, I have arthritis. Many people do not know, but when I have a flare, I am close to incapacitated. I cannot do my work. So I work less. I take out both sick days and vacation days, and try to show up in good cheer when I finally feel better. It may seem like I did no work that week, and still showed up smelling like roses - but underneath there is real pain, and wishing I could do more. Do we know Kate is not going through something like that? Did we know Diana suffered until it was too late? I think we should enjoy what Kate is giving us when she does, and otherwise mind our own business.

And yet, other married-in spouses (commoner and otherwise) have gone through the same things while working much busier schedules of engagements. Maxima, Mathilde, Letizia, all of them. And please do not use the heir-to-heir argument again. These were all professional women who had serious careers before marrying their princes around the same age that Kate Middleton and William married.

These women managed to work full-time, be successful, and marry the person of their choice. They married, got pregnant, are working royal engagements, and are raising their children. Do you suggest that Kate Middleton is incapable of doing the same? Or are you suggesting that women who have satisfying work lives do not "support their men" emotionally as you think Kate Middleton did?

Thank you Charlotte for the refreshed page. I was getting exhausted of the negativity - I know it's hard to believe !

This last jaunt has simply reinforced the image that I had of them, so I cannot say that I was shocked or disappointed. That said, I do remain optimistic that they are able to use their immense wealth, priviledge and platform to try and make a difference. Forget living up to Diana's image, one has to look at Queen Rania to see how to use the royal platform. Queen Rania goes on luxurious vacations, buys only designer clothing, wears jewels head to toe, but nobody complains about that. That is because her name has now become inextricably linked with girls' empowerment in the middle east and women's rights. She works relentlessly and tirelessly because she believes in the cause. That is the hope that I have for royals - all of them. I believe that William, for all his arrogance, does know what causes he wants to work on. I hope you're right about Kate- that she will find her voice and her passion. Let us see.

As usual, you have done a fabulous job of clarifying the situation as you see it. I would like to add that I think it's sort of funny the way people think they can demand the Royals bow to the demands of the public. I realize the Monarchy is only a figurehead, but it isn't that long in the past that they were the actual rulers and, as such, did whatever they pleased. Now they have to strike a balance between what the taxpayers want and how they choose to live their lives. It cannot be an easy life, despite it's many perks. I am just happy to see them whenever possible.

Harry has made more public appearances in the past week than Kate has made all year! I think there is frustration because Kate has such a great platform, but does not seem to fully take advantage of it. I wish she would take on something having to do with women's rights like both Princess Mary and Camilla have - it would be great for her profile. By the time Diana was 3 years into her marriage she had a ton of patronages and was always seen out and about. Their PR people are not doing a very good job or William is just very stubborn. They should have made sure she was seen out once or twice prior to this vacation. Kate had a rep before she got married as lazy - her lack of engagements does not help change anything. I hope after their Australian tour they take on a more defined role, but I have a feeling they will go under again and we will not see them for a while. Also, I read on line earlier that Kate's parents were in the Maldives with them...not sure if it's true. Just my thoughts!

I agree Melissa. I'm actually not against them going on vacation and leaving George - they're wealthy and have a nanny. But they don't give back to the people as I think people expected them to by this stage. Kate hasn't, as you said, fully taken advantage of her platform. I understand she needed time to get used to her position, and now she has George. But the new year was a good time for her to show her commitment to the country. So I'm not sure if it's William or Kate or both, but they need to show more of a commitment to their people. They can go on a holiday four or five times a year if they like, but in-between get off your butts and do something for the country that funds your lifestyle. Even if one of them wanted to be with George everyday, they could both do two engagements a week. Hopefully this starts to happen when they get back from tour.

Let's talk about Kate's time before marriage.1) I have worked hard all my life. I have not had time to figure out my dress style, learn what hairdo suits me better, get makeup classes. I have since risen in the world and now I have to dress nice, wear make up and have pretty hair. It is the part of my job now. And I have no idea how to do it. I spend countless hours, sometimes at night reading about these things, figuring them out, trying and failing. We do not usually think about this as work, but it does take time, attention, good taste, and a fair amount of education. Kate spent time in her teens and twenties learning that. Clearly, she has - because look at her, she is flawless. We may say derogatory things about how playing dress-up and makeup is not real job - and yet can we do it? If she came out doing engagements looking the way I do, I guarantee you the public would totally freak. I can almost see the headlines: Baba Yaga Kate seeing children. Really.

2) I ask myself - what would I have done to prepare myself for being a royal consort, if I were in my 20's dating a Prince? Guys, there is so much reading one would have to do! About all kinds of things! For example, books about previous royal consorts, their lives, their husbands, how they coped, where they made a difference, the mistakes they made: books offered to Princess Diana, but which she turned down. Had she read them, she would have had a better comprehension about how the royal family operates. Like the author of this blog said, they really are not like us! Next, books about royal history in general, their relation to other royals in Europe, their relationship with the government. Reading about charities. How to run them, how to support them, etc. We could probably go on and on. But just think: you are a patron of an organization, and have to go make a difference. What do you do at an engagement? What do you say? How do you recognize and encourage them? It takes preparation. Just like we graduate with a basic bachelor's degree and go on to earn a master's in order to learn how to apply the basics, I think one would need to a whole lot of studying at home to prepare oneself for a role as a royal.

Here's one thing she could have done. She could have not agreed to participate in an engagement interview that made her sound like she was ready to roll. That's what started the expectations of people (the old "hitting the ground running", "most prepared royal bride in history"), and that's why people like me now scratch their heads. I would not have thought anything of it if she'd have sat there, looked adoringly at William, and said she was going to dedicate her life to supporting him. OK, maybe I'd have given that a thought, but I doubt much more than that.

That is the most ridiculous and ignorant statement. SHE JUST HAD A BABY AND SHE'S BEEN ON MATERNITY LEAVE! If you were the full-time stay at home caregiver for your baby, you likely wouldn't be at work at all - and yet Kate has been undertaking some appointments with a child under one year of age! You're trying to put a negative twist on a mother who appears to very much love and want to care for her child - while still trying to be somewhat committed to her duties as a royal.

Erin, it was speculation, and discussed elsewhere. I'm not sure why you are so bent out of shape about it now. Maybe she WAS depressed. It happens, and there was a period of time (last Novemberish) where is was talked about, as well as in the last thread as a reason why they went on this holiday they're on.

I'd also argue that if she's hiring nannies (and she's had one nanny with her housekeeper having child care as needed on her job description) that she isn't a full time caregiver either. No shade on nannies, but come on.

Are they back yet or was the three or four notes just a PR tactic?I ask because it seems foolhardy to take 2 10 hour flights for three days. I agree will all you said Charlotte except the part about her working harder after the tour. I think they will have a post trip rest and then she will be pregnant and do the mandatory royal ocassions and disappear for the greater part of a year and a half

I really don't get why this is so controversial. If I had a nine month old and a nanny I would take a vacation too. They are about to leave on basically a month long work trip, they should be allowed to have some private time together as a couple. George isn't even a year old, any other woman (with money or not) wouldn't be expected to work at all for at least the first year. I don't believe that just because you become a parent you have to stop being a person. Taking time away from your child isn't wrong, it just might be different from your own parenting style. If my mom ever offered to take my child for a week so I could go on vacation I would not worry about its safety or wellbeing. Kate seems to have a close relationship with her own mother so I wouldn't be surprised if she felt the same.

Thank you, Charlotte! They are not like us and never will be like us!!!! They live a life most of us know nothing about. Yes, I do check to see if there is any new development with the "royal couple", but at the same time I trust them that they are going to do what is right. As any of us knows, the man higher up the ladder can see things the ones lower down can't see. They see things that we don't see. They know their schedule and what is coming up. A vacation at this time, not a problem. PW has been in school, how much have they seen of each other? DC has had total care of PG while PW has been in school. A week alone - GOOD FOR THEM!!!! Shaking hands, meeting people, eating food your not accustom to, sleeping in beds your not familiar with, waking up in a totally different time zone, remembering where the bathroom is when you wake up at night, expecting to have a smile on your face 100% of the time, every move is scrutinized, making sure you don't make some blunder in public, having every piece of clothing, purse, jewelry, the condition of your hair under a microscope, whether you have toe nail polish on or not, a week off with the DC's family, that they have done for years - WONDERFUL! Isn't is great that they have such a family relationship!!! The list could go on and on. PW was born into this. He was not asked if he wanted to be there, he just is. Yes, a royal life has a lot of perks, but it has a lot of disadvantages too. I sure KP and Balmoral can be a prison as well! As to choosing the wrong color for her walls, GET A LIFE! We have NEVER made those kind of mistakes. She is human! As to spending the taxpayers money, what about all the money the couple brings to GB by their wedding (i.e. souvenirs), the "Kate Effect" when she wears something or uses something (i.e. baby blankets, prams, etc.). They don't see a schilling of any of that, yet the public benefits from it. The Queen has had 60+ years to get it down and still has made mistakes!!! Welcome to life! Get off their backs! You wonder why PW makes comments about the press!?! Have you been listening and reading everything that has been said in the last week!!! And you wonder?!? Give them a break!!! Where is your trust in them that they are going to do the right thing? Mistakes? Yup, they will make them. They will learn from them and go on. I hope that they are not aware of any of this while they are on vacation. I hope they are having a wonderful time with each other - away from PG! He'll be a happier child if his parents are in love with one another. Someday, PG will grow up and be out of the nest. PW & DC hopefully will be able to look at one another and be happy that they KNOW each other, rather than look at each other and say, "Who is this person?" They married each other, not the children! He is a beautiful child and more importantly a happy child! What a blessing!

oh my goodness!! So PERFECTLY expressed! I love it, especially the part about PW & DC actually KNOWING each other after the kid(s) are grown and out of the house. That is probably THE biggest mistake couples make, when they don't concentrate on their relationship while their kids are still at home and then loose sight of who they are as a couple.

Years ago a co-worker was preparing for her son's (her only child) wedding. She said the best advice she ever received was from her doctor when she was released from the hospital after giving birth. He told her to remember that her son would be in their care until he learned to fly. But she and her husband were a lifetime deal.

Charlotte I understand you are a royalist and for the most part I agree with what you said about pressure and what not. But lets be honest William grew up with it and Kate experience it for ten years before marriage. I work in a hospital and if I tell them that they need to be more considerate because after 6 month I'm still feeling the pressure they politely suggest that I find a job that is more appropriate to my needs and my mental stability so PLEASE lets drop the "They are subject to an enormous pressure" story it is kind of overdone.I am sure that plenty of parents leave their babies in the care of other people however I think is a bit disrespectful that you compare it to parents who work considering it was you as well as other news papers that said that they didn't go to official engagements together because they didn't want to leave the baby alone, so what is it. I'm sure that for them is not a big deal because in their circle probable all those mothers have babysitters before the baby is born so I'm sure in their eyes Kate is a heroine.But in the eyes of the regular people they look exactly the way that they are portraying themselves to be and I'm not sure is in a positive way

" PLEASE lets drop the "They are subject to an enormous pressure" story it is kind of overdone."

"But in the eyes of the regular people they look exactly the way that they are portraying themselves to be and I'm not sure is in a positive way"

Thank you. She had 10 years of dating and now almost 3 years of marriage, and she still cannot handle more than 3 hours of work in 3 months? There are no reasons for this behavior, only rapidly-disappearing excuses.

Do you honestly believe she has worked only 3 hours in the last 3 months!?! Do you have any brain matter between your ears??? THINK!!! If you truly believe this, please keep your name Anonymous and save yourself an enormous amount of embarrassment!

52 cards up. 3 hours it may not be. But it sure isn't much more than that.Hmmm? Let's be lenient and give her maybe 10.And let's cut the rubbish about all the prep work.There's people employed for all that. Can't you hear the similarities between all those speeches? W&K and probably other RF members spend a moment glancing and maybe reading the information/speech before the event. Perhaps a half hour briefing. Research, script writing is never undertaken by the RF. It's a matter of protocol. As for the gracious smile and sit down to watch a film? Not work. That in my world sums up a night out. Is it such hard work to be fortunate enough to actually meet some of the stars?Hey! I wouldn't even need any prep work for that. Common sense really.Let's see some REAL WORK. And then we can start counting hours.

I'm not the "anonymous" above, but with attacking remarks from people like you, why would we want to publish our information?

Thank you, Charlotte, for so ably explaining, dare I say defending, the Cambridge's decision to holiday on their own in the Maldives. Catherine went to Mustique, yes. But she took her beautiful baby on what for her, must have been a grueling flight in order to help celebrate her mother's birthday. I am quite certain Carole Middleton was thrilled to have her grandson there! Every couple needs some time to themselves after a baby is born. They waited quite a long time, and if reports are correct have been amazingly hands-on parents for Prince George's first seven months. Since we do not walk in their shoes, it is ridiculously presumptuous to make judgments regarding such parenting decisions. If every baby were as well guarded and cared-for as this one, the world would be a better place.

Hello Charlotte, and community members! First-time poster here who has been a long-time reader.

I must chime in with Charlotte and give Cambridges the benefit of the doubt. Even so far as timing. Why? Because while we might think it poor timing for appearance's sake, it could well have been perfect timing for them from a practical standpoint.

We all think/hope perhaps a baby sibling for little Prince George may be in the plans this year. (I believe Tom Sykes at the Daily Beast said to count on Kate being pregnant again before her next birthday?) If William and Kate are hoping she will become pregnant soon, this might have been their only opportunity in months to squeeze in a second honeymoon. It's quite possible once she is pregnant that Kate might again suffer from Hyperemesis gravidarum - perhaps even worse than before and for longer. Factor in the various Royal Family events on the calendar for the rest of the year, too, and when they occur. Obligatory events abound. Add in the Her Majesty's age and that of Prince Philip: May they have long lives with continued good health, but no one is guaranteed tomorrow. Grandmother Carole might have had a lighter schedule of work this week to supervise Prince George's new nanny and be there for that important transition from only the family and Jessie Webb caring for him to another new adult (I remember my own three children at Prince George's age being a bit clingy). And if she has just weaned him, she may be having some physical, emotional and hormonal changes to process - even some postpartum depression. We just don't know.

All speculation, yes. But I offer this perspective because I like what I see and read of this couple and the family unit they're creating under the unrelenting scrutiny of millions worldwide. This 43-year-old mother supports the 32-year-old one she has never met but genuinely hopes succeeds.

A very well-thought out and balanced post! Some people just get hysterical about something that is not that big a deal. I think that they should do more and whether they are only second in line has nothing to do with it. What else are they going to do?! There are so many charities/causes that must be crying out for help and they can work behind the scenes as well as doing public engagements.

I too was amazed by the number of reponses. It seemed the perfect storm - that many supporters of William and Kate had already had their patience with the couple stretched too far, and this luxury holiday on top of holidays and engagement free months, made the vast majority of us snap.

You have done a briiliant job of offering your perspective, Charlotte, and most of us are ready to move forward, hoping the advisors to the royal couple have taken note of the extremely negative publicity everywhere and will be bold enough to advise changes.

Just a couple of quibbles and then I'm ready for Australia and New Zealand.

As I mentioned on the Royal Digest, Kate had work options she chose not to pursue. She stated that she would have liked to be a teacher but gave no reason why in the years between Saint Andrews and her marriage, she didn't continue her schooling and seek a post. It would have given her wonderful experience and also kept her out of the public eye, especially in a country prep school.

It occurred to me as a wrote this that there really was no reason for Kate to be in London so often except for her short employment. Even when she allegedly worked for her parents, she was always there. William wasn't most of the time. While many young people enjoy London, if Kate had truly not wanted to be pursued, she had a number of reasonable options available. I think she encouraged the press - just as Diana sometimes did - because she found it useful to be in the public eye. She wore far more new clothes than she does now and often seemed to be courting the camera. But it's like playing with your pet tiger. You don't turn the press on and off at will.

Another quibble. I don't believe I buy that they need this time to prepare for their tour. The fact is they had a full schedule before the Canadian tour which came just a couple of months after the busy preparations of their marriage. They certainly didn't need a lot of empty days to prepare for that and it was brilliant. This tour doesn't really seem that much more challenging.

Third quibble. I personally don't object to leaving George, although young parents I know say they might leave their baby for a couple of days but wouldn't by choice fly many hours away where it would be hard to return in an emergancy. Some of us who have taken care of elderly parents also kept this in mind. We heard over and over that Kate wouldn't leave George as an excuse for not even taking on an engagment or so a week. No wonder, many of us were a bit fed up.

Final quibble. I was a close follower of Diana from Day One and while she did build up engagements over time, from the start she took on a lot more engagements, dozens more, and many on her own, than Kate has. And if she and Charles had been happy and Camilla hadn't been lurking in the picture, I suspect there would have been few problems. There is no comparison between Diana and Kate's work ethic and Diana was a decade younger at marriage.

With that, I'm ready for the Fashion feature, While I admire very much the warm hearts, of those who accept Kate regardless, I think most of her followers have been left disllusioned and are ready for a change if she wants continued support. And while I don't think the couple will be booed or support will die away tomorrow, Kate would not be happy if the day came, as it has for some royals, where all the attention she gets on an engagement are a few polite charity heads and one lone child, primed with flowers. As the Herrick poem goes, it's time for Kate and William to gather their rosebuds while they may, and before another pregnancy slows the process again.

When Kate and William got back together in 2007, they made a lot of effort to keep their private lives private. This included Kate moving back to Bucklebury, quitting Jigsaw and working for her parents. Unlike your statement, she spent most of her time in the country, not London.

The Canadian tour kicked off 2 whole months after their wedding. After April 29th, the couple didn't have a full schedule. They stayed low in Anglesey and used the time for their honeymoon.

Sorry Dash, your facts are not completely accurate. I went back over my collecton of magazines. There are numorous photos of Kate in London, both on day and night appearances, from 2007 through 2009. There was a gap shortly before the engagement in the summer of 2010. That was apparently when Kate moved in with William.

As far as I can tell, she retained her flat in London from 2007 until her marriage so it's impossible to say where she was living. She was working for her parents at this point but clearly had a lot of free time at her disposal that she spent in London. And during her break from William, Kate stayed relentlessly in the public eye, using the press to her advantage.

You are correct that in May 2011 that the couple was on their honeymoon and in Anglesey but I doubt they were doing much preparation for the Canadian tour either place. In June 2011, looking at the listing in "A Year in the Life of the Duchess" they appeared at offficial events about seven times before their departure for Canada. Some of these were standard appearances with the royal family but they were still appearances. I didn't count unofficial appearances like Wimbledom and the Derby.

My point is and still is that the preparation for the Australian tour need not take up two full months of Kate's time. (William is presumably studying.) Nor would Kate's five or six charities take up much behind the scenes time. Two of those charities are large museums and it is unlikely Kate is much involved in their day to day activities. She mostly appears at an occasional evening event.

I think almost every person here has agreed that Kate should only work part time and have ample time with George. But most of us have also felt she could take on one or two public engagements a week without undue burdens on her time.

My dear Charlotte, thank you for this very levelled comment on this subject. There is one point, though, where I have to strongly disagree. As a therapist I can not support the Cambridges´ decision to leave little George at home - especially not with a new nanny to get to know. It is even more important for at least one parent to be present if a child that age has to get to know a new major relation. This will give him the necessary feeling of safety and security which is "shaken" any time somebody major is newly entering his life (once again: at THIS age). Prince George is (thankfully!!) very much used to his parents being around - at least one of them. Those two being away for a whole week (meaning not even at bedtime and through the night one of them appears) comes definitely as a shock for this baby. Sorry, there is no way around this. Children at that age CAN NOT UNDERSTAND what is happening when they realize their parents are not there for several days and nights consecutively. They can "only" use their instinct - and that says "No parent - MAJOR problem. Life is in danger". I´ve said it before - a child belongs to its parents until he or she is old enough to decide otherwise. There are enough ways to ensure you as a couple or as an individual have time on your own - especially in the Cambridge´s case. I experience every day while working with clients how easily we as adults fail to understand a child´s perspective (I include myself here), especially a baby´s. Things that are perfectly "normal" for us and not in the least scary to us, are VERY much scary and totally overwhelming for babies - simply because they can not work out things in their mind like we do, yet. Apart from that, thanks once again for expressing your views. They are very encompassing and levelled - something strongly needed in the heat of this discussion!

I am sure you are right to be concerned, Eve. It does seem, however, that the nanny was with Prince George quite awhile before his parents' holiday. She had a chance to become accustomed to him and to his routine, and he to her, while his parents and his first nanny were around. Also, during the parents' absence, he was left with his grandparents in Bucklebury, where he is very much at home. I agree with you in principle, and I never left my children for so long at so tender an age, but I think William and Catherine did make careful arrangements.

It has been said that upperclass British parents send their children away to school too young, and that American parents keep teenagers at home for too long. I don't know what is the best way of raising children to be healthy adults; I have acted mostly on what seems comfortable to my family. But the British ways may work well for those families, since they are accustomed to the way they do things, and their children become used to them.

I doubt that they left George *alone* with a new nanny, or that they would leave him behind for a few days without trying an overnight stay with grandma and grandpa M prior to this trip. Most likely, Carole has been very much in the picture, and perhaps Grandpa M has too. Kate is very close to her family so it's not a stretch to think that George is used to them being around (and ditto for Jessie Webb). That is just my non-professional two cents. :)

George is with his grandparents, not left with the nanny. The picture of George with the nanny was taken on March 4th (while the couple was still in London), when nanny was "bedding in" to learn the ropes. However, the stories saying George was left for the nanny to try out is completely false (word of caution: stories from Sunday papers are often very loose on accuracy). His nanny will formally start full-time once the couple returns. This has been clarified by a reliable reporter.

Dash, what the said (or at least what was reported they said) was that they wanted the nanny and George to get to know each other before the tour, and thought it best they not be there. Carole and Mike are around as well, and this is where Carole gets no shade from me . . . you wouldn't be able to pry me away from my first grandchild either.

Thank you Charlotte for this wonderful post! I am as strong as supporter of William and Kate as I was before. Everyone makes mistakes. What we call "mistakes" is nothing more than learning from life. Then we move and acquire more wisdom. And that's exactly what they will do in the future. I have the utmost trust in this young couple.

Congratulations for your very objective analysis dear Charlotte. I felt really distressed at all this negativity and could not help waiting for your next post.

Well said Charlotte. I do not completely agree but you state ypur opinion in a very polite way :) what bothers me is that obviously, she can leave George for a week. Then why not for an engagement of 2 hours? Really, a lot of commenters here used arguments such as: she is still on maternity leave, she has to breastfeed George, she wants to be a hands on mother etc. Now with them being away from George for a week, in my eyes the only possible reason for not doing engagements is gone.

Oh Good God! It's a vacation! Its been said over and over that George is a bit of a handful. As far as Kate's work ethic, anyone who has ever had a "spirited" new born can attest that it is a LOT of work. More so then going to engagements here and there. It is an all day all night thing. They deserve a rest now that George is at an age that he is probably calming down. I would do the same if I were in there shoes. After all, that is one great perk of having Grandparents. Stick the child with the grandparents so you can breath and not lose your effing mind.

I disagree with some of your post. First, the press may have run with the "just like us" storyline, but the Palace and their sources have fueled that image. They've fueled the image themselves with the normal housewife, stay at home mom without a nanny, and the "I don't want to work because I don't want to leave my son" thing. Yes, the press helped fan the flames, but the palace started it and isn't doing anything to stop it.

Also, as far as "finding their footing"... they've been married almost three years. How long do we let them slide with the notion that they are "finding their footing"? Do we start now with letting them find their footing, after almost three years? That's what your post seemed to indicate.Pre-wedding it was said Kate was having "princess lessons" and she even said in the engagement interview that she would "hit the ground running" with charity work. But she didn't. It's been almost three years, she could have found her footing by now if she had been doing consistent work throughout her three years, but she does the bare minimum.Everyone is allowed a few missteps as far as saying something wrong or wearing the wrong thing or whatever, but the other royals who have suffered missteps such as these made up for it by consistently working. Kate's biggest misstep is her lack of work. How is anyone supposed to find their footing if they don't actually consistently work to improve?Also, William is exempt from that "finding their footing" excuse as he's been a royal his entire life and has been working on and off for years before even getting married.

And I highly doubt Kate, or William or Harry for that matter, are really all that involved with the planning and execution of anything involved with their charity work and appearances. Their work is showing up and acting interested for an hour. Maybe taking a meeting here or there. Meetings we don't see are still listed in the court circular, and there aren't a ton of them. They certainly don't do anything involved with the Royal Foundation of whatever, they have a whole team to do the work for them.

Thank you. As of the staff Christmas party December 2012, it is known that William and Kate Middleton have at least 27 staff assisting them with the planning, execution, selection of charities, research, preparations, etc. http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kate-middleton-prince-william-host-christmas-lunch-for-staff-at-restaurant-20121812

Good Morning. My name is Silvia, I am Portuguese, I have studied at University in UK and half of my heart is British and Royalist!!!! Charlotte, your post is as it should be a wake up call for those who always try hard to lead into imperfection something that looks perfect!!! But people, guess what, there are no perfect couples, perfect relationships and perfect lifes because we are humans and imperfection and dissatisfaction are both part of our nature. I my self have a very busy life, I have my own company and due to my job i really have to travel frequently world wide, so I can imagine how ethic and exausting will be the tour to Australia and New Zeland. Thus there is no better time for a couple vacation than this moment, to charge batteries just before a very busy moment. Indeed, one can argue that they have left their baby behind, but guess what, who will not trust their baby to his grandmother??? What about sustain your relationship with your beloved one, to have time to dig down once again why you have fallen in love, whay have you decided to get married???? (after all a baby changes your all world) Me and several of you have the most valuable thing privacy, and sometimes we forget that privacy and being anonymous is far more valuable than gold, diamonds and all the money in the world. Just as simple as this: for instance imagine that your best friend is a man, if you are a famous female person, married and you just go out for a coffe with your best friend and you happen to take his hand or just hug him, all the press will be stating that you are being unfaithful, that you are having na affair, and you know that you are just being what you are a girl with her best friend. William and Kate and doing great, they always give their best!!! Very proud of Diana job with her boys, her biggest legacy to the world and very proud of Kate because even though she is a commoner she is doing a great path!!

Hello from Virginia. I never really comment on things but when i read others comments on your last point i was pretty annoyed. Who are we to say they owe the world an explanation of their every move, that they are bad parents for taking a vaca without the baby or two vacas back to back. People leave their children to go on vacations for one on one time to build their relationship which is important too.. The baby will be just fine! And the couple doesnt seem to get a whole lot of time by themselves anyways. Plus we average people take multiple vacas a year.... Im taking 6 this year! And my schedule is no where near as rigorous as theirs. They deserve time away just like everyone else. We want them to be so much like us but fault them at every turn. Id like someone to come in to everyone elses life and knit pick that way we do to them. We might find others would judge us too because they don't agree with the way we go about our lives. And what would be our snap back... My life is non of your business! So while they have to be in the public eye i think the public needs to remember not every single move is our business.. Or soon we will be scrutinizing them down to the type of toilet paper eer they use!

You do realize that they rented out an entire resort, and and had to take their RPOs with them. So that's at least six first class plane tickets from London - Maldives, plus their accommodations and meals for a week (and they get time and a half for the overtime of being on a week trip), all of which is billed to the police department for which they work. That is a LOT of money. A LOT.

All that being said, how do I apply? A week in the Maldives while being paid???

This is my first time commenting, but I feel strongly about this so I'm throwing in my two cents. I am an American woman, married, no children (yet). When I saw that they went on vacation together - without Prince George - I didn't care. They are new parents that have not had any time alone together since they had their son. Parenting blogs and websites talk constantly about making sure that you have a strong marriage and putting your marriage before your children. In my opinion, that is what it looks like Will and Kate are doing. They are taking a little time for themselves, to relax and work on their marriage, before starting a long, stressful tour of another country. As for leaving their son behind, I'm not surprised. I'm sure Carole was quite excited to spend time with her grandson. My mom has told me stories about when I was young and my grandmother giving them gift certificates to dinner so that she'd get to babysit! (granted, it backfired on her because they took me with)

I don't know that any of us could handle this any better than they are. They're learning who they want to be as royals, still learning who they want to be in their marriage (I imagine - I still am after 7 years of marriage), and learning who they want to be as parents. They're bound to make what we might call mistakes, as you said. But are they really mistakes? In the grand scheme of things, it just looks like everyone is looking for a reason to pick on them.

Most members of the Royal Family have had periods of being critised and being less popular, including the Queen, Anne and Philip. If the internet had been around in Diana's day I somehow think her reputation may be different. Look at the criticism the Queen got during 1992 and the Windsor fire or the hatred Anne used to have for the press and they for her. Sophie has caused embarrassment to the Royals more than once but bounced backs. These go in cycles. Kate and William are laying down their holiday markers for the future. The Queen used to love weeks every summer on the Royal Yacht because it gave her privacy and Princess Margaret was in Mustique a number of times per year. Kate and William are looking for somewhere away from cameras.

WOW, I can't believe people are that worked up over the couple taking a vacation. When you think about it Kate is actually on maternity leave as a year is customary in your country. In America you get 6 weeks, or 12 if you take the rest unpaid.

When you think about it their life really isn't theirs . Everyone is up in the middle of it, royal standards dictate a lot of what they do and the public feels they get a say. Huge kudos to the couple for taking time to be a married couple.

Thank you Charlotte for putting the "other side" to things. The last blog was a very alien and unhappy place for many of us.We oldies have seen it all before of course, but the internet and the blogger who claims to know from thousands of miles away what should be done is a burden only recent additions have had to suffer.I know (from personal experience with charities) the amount of investigation carried out before a member of the Royal Family will take on a patronage---they have to be sure (as anyone can be) of the honesty and integrity of the people running it .Does it fit with the aims of their Foundation; does it tread on the toes of other members of the family? Does it actually do what it professes to do? It all takes up time and usually means the Royal visiting secretly,The vast majority of the regular Royal engagements are carried out in the summer ---so holidays in those months are unusual. I am retired and also had several years caring for my family---according to some people on the last blog II had no retire to a holiday then and have none now. I cannot remember one Princess (including the present Queen) who wasn't accused by the newspapers of being lazy--though they were lucky, the web and blogging is an added burden.With some of the awful stuff written about Catherine, I am surprised she ever takes her head from under the duvet.Women falling over themselves to tear another woman to pieces is not a pretty sight---please have a little kindness and understanding.

You are absolutely right! I can't believe people are outraged about this! Obviously the public has no thought of how hard the daily lives of the Royal Couple must be and how they never get a moment's peace to themselves. And they certainly aren't in the habit of just running off for a week. What about all those new parents out there - don't they remember how hard it is to have a baby around the house and all the extra work that demands? I am happy that William and Kate are able to have a few days to themselves. The happier and stronger their marriage is the better it will be for the country and the more happy news we will have to read.

Its been a long time since I've read or commented. I must say even though I have lost almost all interest in will and Kate, I wasn't surprised to see that the tide has turned for them, however briefly. The higher one is held the further they fall. This happens not only to members of the royal family, but politicians, celebrities and athletes. The list could go on. I wouldn't trade a bucket of piss for kates life. I just wouldn't. I treasure my privacy and want to grocery shop without being photographed. The press have become a bunch of peeping Tom perverts. That being said Kate is 32, Diana was 36 when she died and look what she had accomplished up to that point. I will always remain a queen Elizabeth and Diana fan. I do wish will and Kate a happy and healthy life, I just don't care to follow them as much anymore

May I also point out that they will be overseas WORKING in public during Easter---a time many of us reserve for family. So taking a holiday now isn't that big of a deal if you also fact that into the equation. Normally, they would be with their families or in private, but they will be on full display and they do have at least one engagement that day.

Thank you Charlotte for your opinion. I have 4 children and was fortunate to be able to stay at home with them until the youngest went to kindergarten. I have felt for Kate as a first time mom being in the public eye and having to leave her baby for long periods during the upcoming tour. Many moms are working mothers but have down time that they can choose how to spend. Kate does not have this, and I was glad to see her engagements limited. I am sure every time she has an engagement that means several additional hours in preparation for the engagement. It is not just shopping but learning about the charity she is attending. She is a wife first and mother second, one of the reasons I believe we love Kate is that her mother was at home with her during those formative years. I hope Kate will be able to nurture George, and the future siblings as she and William choose, not by the popularity vote. They are in their early thirties, and will make mistakes just as all young couples do. I hope this nanny has a great deal of downtime, and I am sure there will be criticism over that too!

I remember that, when I was a new mother, everybody had some advice to give me, something to criticize in my choices, it was very frustrating and difficult to manage… I can barely imagine what must be to have the world (billions of advices) looking at you and grinding out all sort of critics. They had a long period (7 months) without a full time nanny, it's a long time if your baby doesn't sleep at night!

I love your blog and appreciate this last post. I am a mom of 4 children (with 2 now in university) and was fortunate to stay at home until my youngest went to school. I think one of the reasons we all love Kate is that her mom was at home with her during those formative years. I was glad that Kate did not have a great deal of engagements during George's first 6 months. Each engagement I am sure takes hours of preparation and that does not include choosing the "dress". Most couples need to have a vacation to reconnect and put each other first again. It is hard as a wife and mother to remember the marriage came first because babies cannot take care of themselves. William and Kate are about to embark on a tour that will last from preparation to finish 4 weeks. This is emotionally and physically draining and if they need to charge their batteries with a week at Maldives then I am glad they can afford to do so. We want their marriage to last and if William has learned from his mother to cultivate and nurture his relationship with Kate; then I am thrilled they are doing so! Mistakes, we all have made them and will continue to make them; Kate and William will do the same. Let's give them so room to grow. (I would like to see more "little Georges")

I agree. Like I said in the last post, their new hiring of a nanny and this vacation could possibly be the end of their leisurely winter.

But what I keep hearing many people say is "they work behind the scenes most of the time". My question is why doesnt Clarence house tell us stuff like that. If public engagements are only part of their work, that means we only hear about part of their work, which is part of the problem. Why don't they announce the things we don't see. If we heard something like "the duchess of cambridge will attend several meetings this week on her patronage 'the natural history museum' to discuss an upcoming fundraiser." It tells the public what shes doing but keeps details private. The public would still feel connected to her even if their not seeing her.

I don't blame her for less public engagements. When I give birth and if i had the chance to work from home more, I would do it too. I'm not upset just because I haven't seen her face or her outfits. Its mostly because if her private life is supposed to be private, her royal duties should be public. And if we were told some of the work she's doing behind the scenes, wed be happy she's on vacation.

Just my opinion. But I never gave up on her because she has done so much since her marriage that one season of less work is not a big thing.

And what will your reaction be when they take their annual skiing holiday before the New Zealand / Australia trip? Will you once again give the excuse that they needed a break before the tour? 'The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.' - Maya Angelou

I read this post before going to bed last night and used my time running this morning to think about this Maldives debacle and why it left me feeling disappointed. What I realized is that I became interested in Kate partly for the fairytale and partly because I could relate to her. I do think there was cause for the press to portray the couple as being "just like us" because, in many respects, that was the image they portrayed since the engagement. They lived in a rented farmhouse in Wales. William went to work, Kate was the dutiful officer's wife. We caught glimpses of Kate shopping for groceries, she cooked William dinner, brought freshly baked goodies to the search-and-rescue office, made her own jam, took walks on the beach with Lupo, volunteered with the Scouts. When they were in London, we saw Kate shopping while wearing high street clothes, grabbing a coffee, going to lunch. Even last summer with Prince George, we learned that William changed the first diaper, we saw him settle the car seat and drive his family home. All of those things made the couple seem like "us" outside of the titles they hold, glamorous events they attended, designer clothes they wore and luxury vacations they took.

However, for me, there has been a major shift in relatability since they had a baby, William resigned his commission and they moved to London full-time. Clearly, all three events were major life changes. Changes that were destined to make them more "royal" and less "just like us," but they all happened in relatively quick succession. I and, based on the sentiments recently, the public didn't have time to transition to and accept this new image of the couple. Since I don't see or hear about them doing everyday things anymore, I hope to see them out and engaging with the public and doing good works. In the absence of that, regardless of all of the behind-the-scenes work that I know must go on, I feel let down, like they've disappeared into their palace to live like the royalty they are and that is not something to which I can relate.

All of this nastiness about a nanny and leaving Prince George though, I just don't understand. There is nothing wrong with leaving a baby with grandparents for a week. He is too young to feel abandoned, especially when left with people who have spent large amounts of time with him since the first day of his life. I would say leaving a two year old can be far more traumatic, but even that children will adjust to. And the nanny...why is everyone surprised? It seemed inevitable.

I really like your blog and I think you have a very professional approach but by defending them you went "a little too far". At least for me.

What I really don't like in your post is that you kind of try to defend their holidays and the "nanny problem" without looking at the context. There would be no problem with their fancy holidays if they actually had done some work before. There would be no problem with them leaving G. with nanny, if we had not been told that Kate is a "hands-on mom" and that she cannot work that much because she has to stay with G. How many times did you use that excuse here? And here we are - she cannot leave home for 2 hours but she can leave G. for a week?

In my opinion you focused on "problems" that aren't that problematic. The real problem is why W&K don't work. And I see no answer to that.

"duties, meetings, correspondence, planning and behind-the-scenes work" - she is not a secretary. She is a public person and her job is to have public appearances. "a huge amount of planning and research" - do you think that they don't have people who do that for them?

They don't deserve to be judged so harshly. For all we know, this trip is a gift to them from the Middleton's. Sometimes grandmas have ulterior motives for getting some time alone with the new grandchild, especially when it's the first. It's ridiculous to say this is bad parenting. I'd just like to enjoy watching their apparent happiness. If only Charles and Diana could have been so happy.

Intersting comment. How do you know this was a gift from her parents? Nothing regarding that has been in the press. Just wondering. William has his own money and cab afford to take his wife on a trip like this.

Pauline...........with all due respect, I wish you would realize how often you jump on people, even if they aren't saying anything negative about Kate. You tell others to "just relax" and complain about "the problem with this blog", but the irony of it all appears to be totally lost on you.

Annmartina, I hadn't thought of that. Yes, grandmas do have ulterior motives from time to time. :) True or not, I hope the Middleton's are enjoying some quality time with their adorable grandson.

Pauline have you not figured out the press invent much of what they write even if the headline was the Middleton's pay for holiday it could all be false.It is not relevent who paid as they could all pay several times over what is important is why do they not work between vacations?

Thank you Charlotte. Checking your blog is always a highlight of my day. It is thoughtfully put together and hearing your POV was so refreshing. Well-written, balanced observations. Many of us found the timing of the vacation perplexing and disappointing but, as you aptly pointed out, I have no doubt we will be impressed by this young family very soon. Thanks for all your hard work keeping us informed.-WB in North Carolina

I hope I'm doing this write because I've tried to comment on the last two posts, but neither appeared, but bravo Charlotte. Very well said. I don't think many of us Royalists (even those overseas whose tourist dollars are certainly of great important to the British economy, especially ones lured by the glamour of the Royals), resent W&K for what they have...we just want to know that they realize exactly how privileged they are compared to their subjects...which is more easy to lose sight of that many realize. Heck, one flight in first class and I forget 100 trips being cramped in coach! It's even more difficult to truly empathize when you've never experienced economic hardship. We also want to know that they care. And while I think they are both kind-hearted people, educated individuals, given their ability to enact significant and sustainable change, we hope to see them do so. Especially at a time where so many people feel powerless by the turbulent times we live in. I am a fan of this blog, a fan of Charlotte and a fan of W & K. Let's hope Australia is a smashing success. - Mrs. T in Chicago.

very disappointed with your choice not to post comments that disagree with you, yound lady. I'd thought you more mature (but I guess after all you are just a student). Good luck withyour blog. This will be the last time I read it

I was out all day and only just got to moderating comments. I posted each and every one I received actually and you'll see many disagree with my opinion. It would be a very boring place if we all agreed or if I wasn't interested in others thoughts. That is the whole point of writing for me and I've learned a lot from our more critical commenters.

Wow, Charlotte, let me chime in with some very strong support and appreciation for all your work on this blog! I recognize that you read every single post before you set it "live" and, especially with all the recent activity, that takes a lot of your time and energy in addition to crafting the blog itself.Thank you--you're an accomplished and sophisticated young student with a fabulous creative journalistic future--you rock!Terry

Anon 16:17 Why do you have to speak to Charlotte like this. You should be ashamed of yourself. You need to show her respect on her blog. You do not have to agree with her comments but you do not have the right to disrespect her. That is what the problem on this blog has been.

Good riddance, Anonymous! This can be an open forum for ANYTHING on Kate & William but NOT on bashing our dear Charlotte!! (me sticking my tongue out at you - does that make me an immature 35-year-old mother?)

Types the person who just accused me of not having a brain in my head. Not appropriate behavior on your part, 52cardsup. Criticize opinions all you like, but personally criticizing posters because you do not agree with their opinions is childish at best.

"after all you are just a student". Anonymous, I know u are still reading this blog, even though u say u aren't....i stopped commenting but I still read it from time to time. What kind if person invalidates another for getting an education? Maybe you should go back to school. Then you might understand how difficult getting an education can be. I assume you haven't been to college....you wouldn't say something so ludicrous if you had. Wow

Very well said. I absolutely do not begrudge them a little time to themselves. The Down-Under tour will be stressful and very public, and I'm happy for them that they're getting a week to themselves to just relax. I think it's perfectly acceptable to have their nanny and grandmother looking after the baby. Good for the Cambridges, I think.

Great Post... But I do not think that the holiday should be criticized. I actually respect them more. Too many of my friends forgot the other half once the baby arrived and it continued leaving them strangers or divorced by the time the kids leave.. I applaud them for taking time to be alone and keeping the spark alive. I had a great mother-in-law. My husband and I went on two trips within the first nine months. I never heard any negative comments from family or friends for leaving our child.I found it very therapeticCriticism of this kind is unfair. None of us know what goes on behind the scenes. One should NEVER judge unless you walk in their shoes.Concentrate ON THE POSITIVE !!!!

Bravo Charlotte for a brilliant and timely post! I agree with you completely - our heroes and heroines should not be beyond reproach, and when they make poor decisions, they should expect some level of criticism (even from their most ardent fans - us!). That said, I suspect I'm not alone in feeling a bit sad and uncomfortable when I feel William and Kate deserve some flak - it's not nice to feel let down by the people you want to be admiring. So I'm more than happy to try and draw a line under all this now and look forward to happier times with the tour - roll on April!

I personally don't view this as a PR disaster. The Royals are not like the rest of us and we should not expect them to be. I would do the same thing in their position and I imagine 99% of the people who are complaining about them would, too. Kate and William can do no wrong in my book.

Thank you for writing this post Charlotte. Very well reasoned. While I still feel that the timing/location could have been more appropriate, you did bring up several points I didn't necessarily think of (particularly all of the behind the scenes planning). Also, I just we can say that we disagree with W&K's choices without being uncharitable and unkind. I was really astonished by some of the comments on the previous post, and I think we would all appreciate it if everyone would really think about what they're saying before they comment. Everyone is absolutely entitled to express their opinion and if that is negative than that's fine and we're interested to hear what you have to say, BUT it is possible to do so without being rude and ugly. There are plenty of places on the internet where that is welcome, but I suspect that Charlotte would prefer that this is not one of them. Cate

I think that what the Cambridge's do for vacation or child care is none of our business. Just as what my children do with their children is none of my business....unless one of those children is being abused or neglected, which it is obvious HRH George is NOT. That said, I really do wish we had seen more pictures of George, Kate and Wills in the last few months. Babies change so quickly at his age and while I understand the desire William and Kate have for privacy, I still wish we had more pictures of the royal baby. And Charlotte, thank you so much for all the hard work you do on your blog. I really enjoy checking in to see what you have posted.

Charlotte, you're the best at writing all this up. My opinion...is there was some altercation/problem--marriage, family, PR problems, and they're getting away to figure out how best to proceed. Not sure why they had to go so far, but it was obviously for relaxation and to escape. They're pretty good at strategizing "next steps."

I completely agree with your point that the public has erroneously cemented the idea that William and Kate are just like us. I feel that a vast majority of the public are forgetting how strenuous an overseas tour can be. This tour is 3 weeks of non-stop public and private events. Not to mention that their main base is the home of a prominent figure. Almost every meal and “free” moment will be filled with being entertained behind the scenes, getting prepared for their events, and filling in each possible moment with their son. The real down time they will get is probably when they sleep. All of us normal people need to imagine working 16 hour days for practically 3 weeks straight. I am pretty sure if that were the case we would also want to take a nice vacation before that madness begins. Personally I am glad they took a nice break in the tropics, and I hope they will take another nice long vacation after the tour is over. They will deserve it!

Very well done post Charlotte and I totally agree with you!! Thank you for doing the right thing and taking the time to tell us your opinion. At first I was taken aback when I heard they were on holiday without George. Even though the palace does not reveal every aspect of their schedule etc. I believe that Kate has been working very hard behind the scenes - with being a Mom and with planning for this upcoming tour. She is not able to just show up at the airport and be on her way. There has to be so much planning that goes into who they will be visiting etc, what she will be wearing and what George will be doing and what he will be wearing too!! I am sure that they are very well briefed in where they will go and who they will meet on this upcoming tour. Yes, I know they have a staff that takes care of a lot of details, but there has to be an enormous amount of planning and decision making that must be done by Will and Kate. Do you think it is necessary that the Palace let us know what they are up to between their engagements with the public? I don't think so, but perhaps that would have satisfied many people if that was done to justify this vacation. Also I really think that upon returning from the tour they will be trying for baby number 2 well before the end of the year. Perhaps this also counted into their getting away while they could since it could be quite awhile that they are able to get away like this again. I would love to hear any comments you may have about my comments!Thank you as always Charlotte for your hard work and dedication to your blog! You are amazing!!Jen from USA

Honestly, I don't see the big deal. So she hasn't done a whole lot of appearances. She has a relatively new baby at home that she has, up to this point, been taking care of largely on her own. Does no one remember how that time was? You don't have time to shower let alone doll your self up for a meeting or "appearance". She has baby poo and spit up on her 24/7, is sleep deprived, and basically always wants a nap. Beyond the baby she has a month long royal tour to prepare for. The fact that they take a week away from everything after a year of taking care of an infant and before a month long whirlwind of a royal tour is no surprise. I think that we are all just disappointed that we haven't had more opportunities to ogle her clothes, hair, and jewelry. Well, folks, she's not a barbie doll and we would do well to remember that ANY of us in her position would jump at the chance to have a romantic vacation with our husband. They are expected to have a spare, which isn't going to happen at all if they aren't allowed the time and privacy required to get reacquainted as a couple.

Respectfully, I don't think she is ever completely on her own. She has her very supportive family, nannies and other people kicking around the palace I am am sure would be happy to watch the baby for half an hour while she has a shower. I don't doubt she has had a difficult year adjusting to motherhood, but she has an incredibly strong supportbase to help her. I don't think she needs us to be making excuses for her.

Anon 21:13 They up until now only had a part time nanny Jessie Webb and Kate's mom to help with the baby. Plus I beleive they only had their housekeeper/cook. So Kate & William have not had alot of help.

Pauline, no one was being critical of Kate, but I do believe that *your* reference to her "only" having a p/t nanny, her mom, and a housekeeper/cook is setting the stage for another rush of critical comments.

royalfan This information I stated is verified. I will find the place I read it and post it. So please don't say I am trying to start something I am not. Because of your type of comment is one of the reason I have elected not to post much anymore. I have been accused of being someone else. This used to be such a nice little family but it has grown and Charlotte has lost alot of reader because of some people here. I am not saying it is you but please don't start to say I am going to start another up roar.

Pauline the press do not know her staff. She could have part time housekeepers kitchen aides etc and the housekeeper could have loads of time to help Kate. That house is huge and one woman cant clean it and cook etc. Do not presume to know we how how much or how little staff she has.I totally think she has to have staff to keep the place clean.Her inlaws demand perfection in their places and I am sure make nice comments if she tries to go more casual. I feel sorry for her I bet her redecorating is because her inlaws made snarky comments as they all use interior decorators for all their places.

I totally support and understand this vacation. The first year of life with a baby is utterly intense. I have no doubt Kate and William have been intimately involved in all the care that goes into raising a newborn. Yes -- they have had a part-time nanny to see them through engagements, date nights, etc., but I bet they're doing a lot of the heavy lifting themselves as they said they wanted to do from the start. As many have commented, we have no idea what it's like to live inside a glass bubble like they do. The chance to truly get away must be something they need and crave to keep their relationship strong. The first year of a baby's life is crushing for a marriage -- this trip will allow them to truly re-connect for the first time in eight months...I say go for it! No -- not everyone has the means to take luxurious vacations like this, but if they could, they should. Life is short. They are young -- continuing to build their bond as young parents will serve them far into the future. This vacation will fill them up as they embark on their Australia tour. It's going to absolutely grueling -- even more so with their baby. I think Kate has done a lot as a full-time mom this year. Remember -- caring for a baby is a FULL-time job. Anything on top of that is extra work. She made appearances very quickly after the birth and looked fantastic while doing them. Many of us would have still been flabby, hormonal wrecks. I give her a lot of credit for walking the tightrope she does every day. She's an excellent role model. Prince William is finally getting a break from his military work so I don't blame him for taking a little extra time when he can. Again, they can't walk down the street without being gawked at -- remember that everyone. Can you imagine? Every move they make is scrutinized. Every outfit they wear is critiqued. It has to be utterly exhausting. It's not a natural way to live so they must take time away or they will implode as a couple, as parents, and as role models. Let them have this time -- I think everyone will forget about the trip once the Australia tour begins. In a way, the timing is smart...the public will love them again when shots of George appear with his loving, happy, parents.

Great post Charlotte! I really enjoy your blog. Although I like to add a few things about why I think some people criticize Kate. I would have on the other post, but it got a bit crowded. Apologies for the long list.

1) I think one of the reasons why some people get angry when they don't see W/K work hard enough is because they know that other members of the family do and they don't get enough attention of the work that they do. Especially since Charles is planning on downsizing the family. It doesn't make sense that the others would be working hard enough yet they would never be senior royals. But they still do it

2) Another reason is that Harry has been doing a lot of charity appearances lately even though he is still in the military. We see him going the extra mile for his charities (like going to treking in the snow), that doesn't look good for W/K who should be doing similar things rather than just going to charity parties. The fact that people say they work hard enough behind the scenes isn't really good enough. Royals have to be seen, that's part of the job.

3) I know that W&K and Harry say that they don't want to just to ribbon cutting or things like that, but maybe Kate should. Its a good start to getting used to being in the public eye, its good practice. In this type of job, you only learn by experiences there is no book. I think Princess Anne and Prince Edward said something similar in an interview once.

4) Kate has hardly done interviews for her charities. She just shows up for an appearance, makes a speech, and that's it. There is a strong rumor going around that she wants to be like the Queen Mother, seen and not heard. While that may have worked with the Queen Mother and her time, it does not work in today's time. William and Harry have given interviews of why they are supporting a certain charities, even Princess Eugenie is on record for giving an interview about a charity she is supporting. And its been almost fours years, the excuse of needing time to adjust has thinned out a bit.

5) It seems that Will and Kate are trying a bit too hard in using Diana's memory to gain public support. Like Kate wearing a polka dot dress, just like Diana did, coming out of the hospital was a little bit weird. At least to me. The fact that they are apparently going to be sitting in the same lawn with George as Will's parents did is also a little weird. And I'm getting the feeling that people don't find things like that enduring anymore because it shows that they are not "independent people."

6) Finally, the Queen and the Duke are getting older and the fact that they still work twice as much is not good in terms of looking at Will and Kate who are both young. Some people say that they will have plenty of time because of the longevity of the Queen and Prince Charles, but you never know what's going to happen. Anything could happen in a split second so Will and Kate should be prepared.

I like Will and Kate, and still have hope for them, but they have got to pick things up soon. We know that they have a nanny now and they are comfortable of leaving him in her care, so the excuse of they need to spend time with George or someone needs to be with George at all times is also no longer valid reason of why they are not making more appearances.

The members of the Royal Family are designed to complement each other, not compete with one another. Engagements are planned so that overlapping is at a minimum. Similarly, there are things other royals can do while other royals cannot - be it for security or their profile. As someone who covers all of the royal family, I find it frustrating that other royals (the Wessexes, the York girls, even Charles & Camilla) often don't get the coverage they deserve. But this is down to public interest, and shouldn't be blamed on William, Kate or Harry.

Just a note, the York princesses are not "working royals" so they are not compensated the say William and Kate are (houses, security, etc.). All the volunteer work and events Beatrice and Eugenie do are on their personal time with their own funding.

What a lovely post, even from the USA I can say that i'm probably biased a bit just in regards to the whole royalty allure but as a mother of a one year old I have to admit that everyone should be able to get away. Have I left my son? no? BUT I also am not in the public eye nor is my husband away at school. I can certainly relate and I am glad that George is with his grandma. With all the visits, they are sure to be close and I know Kate likely feels comfort in that.

It's hard cause i can see how many a mom out there would take this the wrong way, it's so tough leaving your child. But to each their own right?

I love this blog and admire your tactful appraoch on something that is surely a subject of emotional debate across the pond.

Thank you Charlotte, for another job well done.. People need to be realistic, yes they are Royals but they are also human and bound to make mistakes. They are doing the best they can in the position they are in. What is the alternative; another Charles and Diane crisis. At least these two love each other and I hope they do whatever it takes to keep that love going. One thing is for sure, and there is no dispute is that their love is shared by millions.. And the way this world is going we need more love NOT HATE... Regarding their upcoming trip, I am sure there must have been a lot work behind the scene in preparation for their visit. From the Nani, to what Kate will be wearing, making sure they have somewhat knowledge of all the places they be visiting, the events, knowledge of knowing who is who; and I can go on and on. Plus all the world will be following them “down under.” At the end of the day, no matter which angle you look at it, there positions is stressful. I feel they are doing a great job. And if people cannot focus on the positive, only on the negative, then maybe they are the problem. Just think, we would have never known you existed Charlotte if it wasn't for the young Royals. I enjoy reading your blog. As a writer you have been able to educate us on your country. From from its towns and cities, customs, traditions, british charities, british art, british deisgners and most importantly you have been able to bring to light in a positive way the young Royals. I find that you are exceptionally good researcher in every area, and I am sure you will not dissapoint us on the Royals next trip!

Thanks Charlotte for your thoughtful post. I too was surprised at all the back lash and differing opinions. Their marriage is the foundation of their lives together and they need time together to focus on that and keep it strong. If it weakens or cracks the rest of their lives come crashing down and that includes royal duties, personal duties and George duties. We all know that childern act differently when parents are around and George also needs to be feel comfortable and trust his nanny as well.

I am sure many people think the upcoming trip to Australia and New Zeland is a chance of a life time and for many of us it would be. But for those of us who travel for business it is also grueling, tiring, and draining and that is without the constant attention from the worlds media. They are working on this trip and that has it owns complications and it isn't a vacation. They have 2 days of personal time to enjoy it as a family.

Isn't Kate also still on maternity leave and like you said not a full time royal yet. Why would we be surprised by the lack of engagements before the busiest part of their year starts if she is still on leave and not working full time?

Like you said they are people and bound to make mistakes. I think we should take a minute to remind ourselves of that and stop projecting what we think they should be doing and judging them for living their life. How many of us could hold up to that scrunity?

In the UK maternity leave is up to a year; recorded by numerous people on this blog---that could take Catherine up to June. Obviously she has done some engagements in that time and the tour falls within that time.

I do not view this get-away as a PR disaster at all. Those who are against it are utterly ignorant of the nature of the royal couple's job and life. Someone is watching them or with them all the time. Think about it--even for George--old nanny, new nanny, mom and granny Carole.

Then there are the fittings and packing arrangements and staff taking that on. Plus the direction from the Queen on matters of state to jewels. Come-on. Way too many people. I'd be nutters before the end of a week of a life like that.They absolutely never get a day spent loafing in their jammies for as long as they please (as I am enjoying today). Can't people imagine the curse that might be? They are not our Royal Puppets.

They deserve a vacation as they are in the public eye all the time. (Even now they are being stalked for that unauthorized photo.) To take some down time to acclimatize Prince George to the new nanny (and themselves to the time they'll need to spend away from him while on tour) is a good move for their own mental health.

You wrote a great article that is level-headed and realistic with many good points and I agree with your point of view. I noticed in the past week many of the comments regarding the Maldives vacation were out-of-touch and unrealistic when you consider the advantages and disadvantages of being a member of Britain's royal family. The fact is, they aren't just like us. Their lifestyle is different, way different from ours, and they cannot and should not be expected to live the same lifestyle as us. I find it enjoyable to follow the Duke and Duchess and expect to continue to do so in the future without judging anything about them. Thanks for another great post, Charlotte. May Will, Kate and George live long and prosper ...

Frankly, I don't see the problem. As you noted, the Cambridge's are not like us - in both good and bad ways. They are not like celebrities who chose to go into a public life - it comes whether they like it or not. Sure, they could renounce it, but there is a lot of responsibility that comes with that decision, and it would mean the charities and causes they champion would receive a lot less recognition and support. They are about to embark on a breakneck tour - I saw this holiday as a "last chance to spend some quality time together" before they are thrust full-force into their royal duties and responsibilities. I don't see this as a "PR nightmare" or a "bad move." It's their life. We don't get to see the behind-the-scenes, and we don't get to judge or determine when they get their breaks. They do. I hope they had a relaxing time and that the Middletons, who I'm sure see a lot less of Prince George than they would like, enjoyed their quality time with their grandson.

The view I take from over here as a royal watcher in California is that I couldn't possibly criticize the Cambridges because I can't possibly know what their life is life. So they want to take a holiday? How nice it is to see a married couple do that! Good! I WANT them to stay in love. Take more holidays!

The other thing is this: what little we hear in the press from Kate regarding George seems to be mixed with the idea that he's a noisy, demanding little baby--by which I take it, he's not an "easy" baby. Nothing wrong there, just means he's spirited. Maybe he has a little of his grandmother Diana in him! So maybe, just maybe, Kate and William would like to step away from that--maybe George is exhausting and maybe Kate is one of those mums who loves her baby so much, but has difficulty adjusting to being a mother. It isn't natural for all of us.

Frankly, I don't understand anyone who criticizes Kate. Has she not shown the utmost respect and the utmost willingness to do what is asked of her?

Thank you, Charlotte, for your very balanced and well written account. I admire your way of handling the debate on the forum. I have only a couple of things to add. First, William and Catherine became accustomed to clustering their engagements while he was in the military and they had to get things done while he was on leave. They have evidently found it convenient to continue this pattern, which allows stretches of time for child care and other activities.

My second point is that Kate has actually been quite active during the winter. She's had the three public engagements, and several private ones. She acted as godmother to a friend's baby, she attended a medical fundraiser and luncheon for her doctor when he retired (he was the Queen's gynecologist, so she was perhaps representing the family), and she and William and Harry have held at least one reception, reportedly for invited members of the press. For his part, William has taken a lengthy course, continued his support for abandoning the poaching of endangered animals, and he and Harry have helped sandbag a flood area.

I continue to think that the flurry and criticism surrounding public engagements make it easier for William and Catherine to further their interests privately at least some of the time. These engagements, while not held in public with invited photographers, have supported people or issues that W & K care about. Catherine, in any case, has not been a recluse. She has been seen out in the park with Prince George, and she took him with her on her family's Mustique holiday. She appears perfectly cheerful when she is out and about. My feeling about the Maldives holiday is mixed, but I think it is understandable.

I cannot leave this message without commenting on the world news which has almost overwhelmed us of late. I wish for everyone who is inundated in tragedy or the unfortunate actions of others, a speedy resolution to these situations, and time and strength to recover and go on with life afterward.

Well said! I am glad they went on a trip by themselves. Couples need time alone to build their marriage. I have always thought that she is probably quite busy behind the scenes. She was not born a royal there is much to learn!

Hello overwhelmed Charlotte. My view is: Catherine and William have gone to:- 1. Practice the tour in a hot climate to iron out some of the problems. This is a long tour there are speeches to learn. Set piece meetings to be familiar with. Clothes to be comfortable in!! 2. To give baby George a bit of time to get used to being with new nanny without mum and dad to hand but with the familiarity of granny and grandpa close by. It will be very upsetting for him to be left as, he will be, with a new but strange helper when his parents are not there for a couple of days in a strange place.3. To have some time together before it all kicks off4. It might be William's half term!New parents do like time off.Well done you Charlotte.Donna

What a well balanced response to all the comments - well done. I find it surprising that people feel entitled to have such strong opinions (some outright vitriolic) about the lives of any other human being, let alone someone they have never met. And as far as the view that K&W have been taking it light on the work-front, doesn't this sadly reflect a societal view that parenting isn't a "real" job in it's own right...

Thank you, Kate, for bringing that up. I have to cheer for Catherine having chosen to make being a parent her primary job. It IS very hard work, and so Very Important, and those of us who have worked or now work outside the home full-time could never get along without paying someone else to do that work with our children (and I hope paying them enough!!) while we hope and pray that they treat our children the way we want them to be treated, teach them all that we want them taught, pay them all the quality attention we want them to have, and so forth. Catherine has been doing all of that work for George since his birth in addition to having other engagements to prepare for and execute, and she has probably had precious little down time, even having staff and family around, because (I assume from published reports) she chooses to be as much "hands-on" as possible. I remember when I first became a parent I hated that my relatives tried to take over for me--much more than I wanted them to do--and perhaps this is something common to Catherine as well, that she wants to be the No. 1 Caregiver for George. Well, now she has a full-time nanny, so the honeymoon period of mothering George is drawing to a close and she will never be as close to George again--she will have to share him with his full-time caregiver as well as continue sharing with other members of the family, and then all too soon, school and so on. The time goes by so very quickly, I don't blame her one single bit for hanging on to as much of it as she could, while she could. The sad thing is, I think, that people blame her for it and think that such work could not properly be called "work"--maybe because most mothers know how much joy comes from the work, so how could something so fun be work? I don't know if any of my speculations are close to reality, but perhaps these things are worth thinking over sometimes.

William and Kate often take a ski holiday in late March. It will interesting to see if they are able to fit this into their schedule. I realize not everyone begrudges them this luxury holiday in the Maldives, but I do hope they forget about the ski trip this year. The Maldives holiday has certainly caused an uproar with many in the U.K. Hopefully they will have a very successful trip to Australia and NZ.

I felt immediately when they left on holiday, that they probably sorely needed the time ALONE to bond, strengthen their marriage, and just get away from EVERYTHING for a little while. No phones, no cameras, just peace and quiet. We have no idea the kind of stress, pressure, and volume of correspondence and decisions they have to make on an everyday basis. Add to that an 8th month old baby crying...who knows what is going on behind the scenes that made them both say, WE NEED TO GET AWAY! Just for a bit and catch our breath, before we go on to the next media circus.

I say, give them a BREAK! They are human, like the rest of us, I would like to see any of us try to stand up the scrutiny and lack of privacy they encounter daily, and handle it with such good nature and grace as the Cambridges.

I hope they are NOT reading the press , that it has NOT spoiled their much needed time together alone. Since they have had George, how many times have they been alone together on holiday. I think this is the first. if not mistaken. Every couple needs it. Just to keep your marriage strong. Who knows the kind of things they need to talk through, what kinds of decisions they face, so I say, BLESS YOU Wills and Kate, I am still rooting for you and praying for you!

Me too. I'm in the minority group who feels this Maldives trip is okay. Only they know what they need for their marriage. It must be hard to always put on a face of being this perfect model family out in public, and to always be hounded by criticism wherever you go. I don't think Kate likes being called Duchess Dolittle. I think its pretty cruel. Also, who could blame them for going to the Maldives? The last time they went on vacation alone, they may have saved some money by staying at a relative's house but got hounded by the Closer paparrazzi.

To be honest with you Kate and William lead a different life then most of us. I do agree with this article and it was well said. They deserve to take a break from the public eye for a vacation to spend quality time away from everything and everyone. They are leaving on a month long "work" trip, you can't tell me you ever needed a pre-trip to get you started? I can't understand why people would criticize them for this. Plus, I am sure Kate is an amazing mother spending anytime she can with George. He is one lucky little prince! Keep up all the great work Will and Kate! Love seeing all that you both are accomplishing and your heart of love for those in need! Blessings to you and your family

"First, the press may have run with the "just like us" storyline, but the Palace and their sources have fueled that image. They've fueled the image themselves with the normal housewife, stay at home mom without a nanny, and the "I don't want to work because I don't want to leave my son" thing. Yes, the press helped fan the flames, but the palace started it and isn't doing anything to stop it.

Also, as far as "finding their footing"... they've been married almost three years. How long do we let them slide with the notion that they are "finding their footing"? Do we start now with letting them find their footing, after almost three years? That's what your post seemed to indicate.Pre-wedding it was said Kate was having "princess lessons" and she even said in the engagement interview that she would "hit the ground running" with charity work. But she didn't. It's been almost three years, she could have found her footing by now if she had been doing consistent work throughout her three years, but she does the bare minimum." - from one of the many Anonymous posts- I completely agree!

I also wanted to say thank you, Charlotte. I was one of the first time commenters on the last post that was a bit critical. While I don't agree with everything you said, I still appreciate that you did it in a respectful way. However, I think that even those of us with dissenting opinions can afford to have opinions. This is a blog for those of us who admire and respect HRH; but that doesn't mean we can't disagree with some of the things TRH do. So regardless of what side you're on (pro-holiday or anti-holiday), let's remember that we all deserve to have our opinions and be treated with respect (I say this in particular to the relatively negative comments regarding whether people should be commenting based on the country he or she is from). That's what makes the world go round. Cheers!

The palace answers questions in a matter-of-fact manner. They did say Kate "didn't find the need for a full-time nanny at the moment" when asked. They did say Kate's priority before spring is George. These were statements they gave when papers asked them questions. However, words such as "just like us," "normal housewife" etc are purely words from the media. Kate never said she'd "hit the ground running" with charity work, only that she'd hopefully "take it in her stride." It was never proven that she's taken "princess lessons." -- a story that has surfaced & was recycled for years and years.

Charlotte rarely shares her thoughts, and this just compelled me to share mine. Thank you, Charlotte, for a well-balanced and sensible post.

I personally found the uproar surrounding this trip very surprising. Especially on this blog. It's certainly more sedate on Twitter and other social media platforms. Neither have royal reporters talked violently about it. I have followed the royals very closely for 8 years. Criticism, scandal & fawning have always followed them in cycles. In this light, this is really a storm in a teacup.

In addition to Charlotte's very good points, may I suggest to readers of this blog to NOT believe everything you read. It's simple. The palace doesn't say much. In private matters, they do not comment because, as it should be, some things need to remain private. Regardless of taxpayer contributions, royals have the fundamental right to enjoy some privacy. As a result, the press connect the dots, presume things, or conjure up stories to fill the public appetite. Kate & George's names are "click-gold," I was told, so people tend to write about them regardless of accuracy. Very often they result in perceptions that are unfair or completely untrue. Always be keen to check the facts on royal stories.

Some examples:-- Someone on Twitter reacted violently when she saw a pic of George's nanny, accusing the couple of leaving their baby with "servants". It turns out that picture was taken March 4th & George is in fact with the Middletons.-- Jecca Craig is almost always described as William's ex-girlfriend. But if you look through the archives, there's not a single picture, date or proof that they were ever a couple. Only a public denial from the palace. In fact, Jecca had been going out with Henry Ropner for 2 years during the time she was linked to William.-- A few have told me they thought William & Kate were transitioning into full-time royals. Though there's chatter of Kate increasing her workload from the spring, there's no factual basis for this full-time talk. But many articles run with the story. The palace had only ever said that William is looking into other avenues for public service. I reiterate this because it'll be unfortunate to have another public outcry as a result of false reporting and misconceptions.

William & Kate are almost 3 years into their marriage. In royal terms, that's still quite young. Diana did amazing work during her life, but even she (as a full-time royal) took years to get her footing. Many of her most prominent work came toward the final years of her life, when her sons were in school. Charles has taken decades to strike the perfect balance for himself too. Sophie is doing wonderfully these days, but let's not forget that she, too, struggled to find her place in the Firm & started slow in her first 5 years. William & Kate are young and far from perfect. The palace PR team hasn't dealt with this popularity surge for a decade, and they too, are learning the ropes. Mistakes have been made and will continue to happen. But that's perfectly normal. In my view, unless it's another toe-sucking, adultery-proven scandal, we should try to reign ourselves in and give these royals room to grow. After all, we really do not know anything about them, their personal lives, their plans or their thoughts.

Dash, I like your no-tolerance-for-bullshit attitude. Very interesting and so well written.

I think for many royal follower it's hard to accept that there will always be only limited information accessible about their lives and actions. We try to respect that but at the same time we desperately want to know more and that's when it becomes so tempting to participate in speculations. But speculations don't get us anywhere.

thank you charlotte for this wonderful post of yours im enjoyed every minute here in your blog william and kate deserves best in their life if they want to be private or even doing holiday away from the media its ok being away from 2 weeks is good to take relaxed and being themselves is good why people being negative on them i myself being away from work for 1 week in enough my work could be stressful i myself take a break and after its ok im marketing director and advertisement director from work sometimes my boss pays from it and sometimes i pay for my own vacay so its ok to i leave 2 weeks from my work montly or yearly i think its not pair to judge william and the duchess from being away from home maybe they wants alone themselves far away from to relaxed and think once while thank you again this my insight im not taking any people too bash me saying my opinion this one my insight im not thinking you in my thoughts thank you again charlotte for making this blog pls dont quit

Well said. Who knows how difficult it is to live one's life in private. God forbid, what if she had a miscarriage and they need time to heal? What if, what if, what if...As you say, none of us can know what that spotlight feels like all the time, regardless of whether they are making public appearances regularly.

Dear Charlotte - all that excitement has been a little exhausting but you handled it very professionally and your dedication is exemplary. Please continue your excellent work. We are all looking forward to the day when you get styled Dame Charlotte and we can see a picture of you at Buckingham Palace. Mark my words!

Now I feel like talking FASHION!

I just came across an old picture of Kate, wearing the much discussed Weitzman Corkswoon and I thought: Don't even think of taking them to NZ or I will inform border control to .... :)

It would be nice to see Kate spicing up her footgear collection. Just a tad. Two NZ shoe designer I'd like to mention:

http://www.kathrynwilson.com/elegant and sophisticated

http://www.chaosandharmony.co.nz/supercool but unlikely to be seen on Kate (come on girl, surprise us!)

And I can't help it but have to talk about my most loved NZ fashion designer Kate Sylvester. Her Autumn/Winter collection just came out.http://www.katesylvester.com/collections/kate-sylvester/winter-14-lookbook/Maybe too street styl-ish for Kate but I would love to see her in Kate's (!) clothes.

I don't normally comment on this blog, the only other time was at the birth of Prince George in order to thank Charlotte, as I was travelling at the time and it allowed me to keep up with the news! Funny enough, I was going to comment on the last post that received 400+ comments!Mainly to say that....we have a friend who received an OBE recently and Prince William was the Royal at the ceremony. Our friend said she chatted about Kate and Prince George. Which leads me to wonder about how much work they do that is not publicized, like these OBE awards (not really sure what the appropriate term is, I'm American!). People seem to think they only do the highly publicized public engagements. I'm quite sure there is a whole lot more going on, filling their work schedule. A point well made by Charlotte in this post.

My 2 cents about the Maldives trip....I figured it's an early wedding anniversary celebration. Good for them! It is healthy for parents to have time to focus on their bond and relationship. Babies feel the strength of that love bond and it nurtures them the most when parents have a strong relationship.

u can write all u want, but actions speak louder than words, kate choose these life, she must be held accountable, whether she likes it or not, you do not get a title of duchess, or queen just by marrying the man, it comes with responsibilities, keep defending her, queen elizabeth is not immortal, very soon u will all realise we were all right, if she hasnt worked all her life, what makes u think she will work when she is fifty, is that simple!!

The Duchess really needs to make more of an effort. Whoever is advising if any should take a look at the Danish Princess Mary. With 4 small children she is out there making a huge effort and difference. Yes she goes on holiday but after she has completed a heavy workload. The Duchess has responsibilities, she is now married to the future king and with that comes a different lifestyle aside from the Middletons, regardless if the Middletons have an annual holiday she needs to be seen to be making more of an effort. I do believe she has the capabilities. There are alot of people out there doing it really tough, it would be nice for her and the Duke to put some brightness into there day, sick children in hospital, the mentally ill just an example. Yes there is a royal tour coming up but what have the pair of them done up until now? nothing of substance. Very disappointing effort.

The day before the Duke and Duchess went on this holiday, William carried out an Investiture on behalf of the Queen.Noticed since the change in office arrangements that the Royal Circular on the internet, sometimes doesn't appear for days---gives an impression that everyone is on holiday!

If you look at their history, they take three vacations a year, mustique with the Middleton family, (something wills did before they married) a ski trip (last years as part of friends wedding) and a private one as a couple. It is unfortunate that all of these have historically been at the beginning of the year (feb, march). Having said that i do hope their engagements pick up after the tour.

Yes, I very much agree! People can be so critical about other people and celebrities it drives me nuts! Aren't William and Kate (and I think esp. Kate) criticized enough? What would it be like if you were Kate, walking out, criticized about your speech skills, hair, clothes, face, or even what charity she is supporting? It would be absolutely horrible. It's not all sunshine and rainbows for the Royal Couple if that's what people think.

Being from America, I really can't comment on what the Royal family does in their private time. I see both the Royalist and anti-royalist points of view as having valid input. The only problem that I have had with the younger royals has been with the royal men. While Charles, William and Harry all say they support conservation and ecology; coming down on poaching of wild animals in Africa - they ALL have absolutely no problem with hunting elsewhere. William's vacation to Spain for boar hunting while lambasting hunting rhinos reeks of hypocrisy to me. IF you are against killing any species of animals for sport....you should be against killing ALL animals for sport.. As far as their vacations and their work schedules; I am sure there are many details regarding both of these topics that we are not aware of.

Charlotte: Enjoyed reading your point of view. Love reading Duchess Kate everyday. We will never know what goes on behind closed doors.....so I give everyone the benefit of doubt! I'm sure that everyone is busy every day, but just not on engagements every day of the week. Looking forward to seeing new pictures from the new tour!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Charlotte, amazing the hysteria all this has caused. I, for one, would like to see Kate taking on a few more engagements but having said that, I think there is a happy medium to be found. Many people keep citing how much work Diana undertook but what gets forgotten is whilst she was doing hundreds of engagement each year, her sons were in the care of nannies. They would never have developed the attachment to their nannies that apparently made Diana jealous, had she been able to spend more time with them. I suspect for every photo of Diana and the boys at a theme park or McDonalds, there were many more, less happy times when mummy was off doing engagements. I think the simple truth may be that William and Kate decided long ago that she would be primarily a wife and mother until any children they had were a bit older. I would imagine that William wouldn't want his children to go through what must have often been a lonely childhood for him and Harry with both parents having a heavy schedule of engagements plus all the marital strife. Kate has been brought up in a strong, loving family and must want her children to have as grounded a life as possible. The RF have been heavily criticised for the long tradition of children being brought up by nannies; if William and Kate have chosen to buck the trend then good for them. George and any future siblings will grow up happier and better adjusted for it. I think many mothers would choose to spend their children's younger years at home rather than working full time if that were possible, so why criticise Kate for doing the same? Yes, I think she should be doing a minimum of one engagement most weeks but if George and William are her priority, then so what? Surely feminism is as much about respecting choice, whether that choice is to be a full time mother or a world changer. I don't think Kate is lazy and I think she will take on more public engagements when it's right for her and her family.

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